The Crackling Fire
by outerelf
Summary: Ushio and Tora as the snow falls. Drabble.


A/n: This is primarily based on the Anime, not the manga for the main reason I haven't read all of the manga yet. Plus, in the Anime It seems that Ushio is beginning to be approached by both Youkai and humans to exterminate monsters, and I thought this would make more sense flow wise. Either way, you can probably stick it down in both, before the two actually acknowledge each other as friends and partners.

* * *

Snow fell heavily down outside watched by two mournful sets of eyes. A violent shiver wracked the body of the smaller one as he turned back to the small fire, watching its crackling flames with an angry intensity, wishing that it was warmer. Across the fire the orange tiger-like creature watched him with a considering stare as another shiver rand down the boys body. He was stripped down to shorts, and steam was beginning to rise off of the soaked clothing nearby.

A water droplet snaked down the young mans face, only to be wiped away by cold hands, slightly discolored from the coldness. "Can't you make the fire bigger brat?" The creature growled, only to be rewarded with a whack across the head by a long spear.

"Not if I don't want to run out of wood half-way through the night." The human grumbled as the creature rubbed his head ruefully. "In which case I'll be using you for a blanket!"

"Only if you want to get eaten." Long, pointy teeth bared at the human as the orange creature began to rise. Pain twanged along his limbs, reminding him that he was in no position to be saying such things.

The human snorted, seeming not to notice the way the creature was in pain. "I'll whack you a good one if you try it Tora."

Tora growled deep in his throat as he eased back down onto the rough dirt floor of the small cave, tail twitching and eyes narrowed. "Well, you didn't have to go racing through the snowdrift you know Ushio."

"Shaddup okay? It was either through the snow drift or loose the stupid beast, and it wasn't like you were offering to let me fly."

"Boy, you could've _jumped_ over the snowdrift!"

"No, I couldn't of! I was already to my waist in the stupid snow-" Ushio broke off in a loud cough, head dipping from the force. Tora ignored the cough as Ushio had ignored the pain.

It was a well-known dance to both of them now. Don't acknowledge the others pain unless it wasn't to be ignored, but the small scrapes like these- these were to be ignored. "-Besides which," Ushio continued as if he had never coughed, "You ought to be grateful that I managed to get this much wood before that blizzard struck."

A grunt, and Ushio shivered again. Tora ignored the humans' yelp to toss another log on the fire. The fire flared, before slowly burning brighter. "Tora!"

"I'm cold." A lie, he was actually getting cozily warm now with his fur, but he wasn't about to tell the human that. After all, despite the warmth of the fire, the human was still shivering. Not that he was worried or anything. He most certainly would not be worried about a idiotic human.

"…Fine." The easy acquiesce told the bakemono just how bad off the boy actually was. Normally Ushio would be spitting fire at him, chasing him around the fire, and attempting to give him a few good whacks across the head. Or worse.

With a grumble, and a silent disbelief at himself that he was actually _doing_ this, Tora hauled himself to his feet to pace over to where the boy sat, before collapsing next to him. "I hate eating frozen foods."

Ushio snorted. "Baka." It was a soft whisper though, as he hesitantly leaned against the orange bakemono. Tora growled slightly (had to keep up appearances after all) but the human ignored it to snuggle up to him.

"I didn't say you could use me like a teddy bear you idiot human!" Tora barked. Ushio's hand fell on the spear, and Tora fell silent.

A comfortable silence fell as the humans eyes slowly closed, and the youkai stretched out a little more, growing a bit more comfortable. The soaking wet clothing nearby was beginning to smell. The sensitive nose crinkled in distaste.

"Hey Tora?" The orange creature looked at the nearly asleep human in distaste.

"What now?"

"…Thanks." Surprise flickered briefly across the muzzled face, before Tora looked away. A few moments slipped by, and the humans breathing dropped into sleep. Then, and only then, Tora found the words to speak.

"You're welcome Ushio."


End file.
